Spirit of Discovery blog

With a brisk northerly wind of 20 knots, Spirit of Discovery arrived in Cagliari today after a lively passage from Bari via the Straights of Messina! Whilst there was a slight chill in the air the Mediterranean sun was shining high and I ventured ashore after my morning watch (4am-8am) to take in the sights.

The ancient city of Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia and over its long history has been ruled by four significant empires: The Phoenicians, Carthage the Romans and the Byzantines, valued for its strategic position. More recently, the city received the Gold Medal of Military Valour during the Second World War for enduring an extensive Allied bombing campaign in an interesting parallel to the role played by Malta.

Ashore there are winding streets and alleyways spread over the hillside capped by San Michelle hill. Cagliari in Sardinian is ‘Casteddu’ literally meaning ‘Castle’, the imposing structure atop the hill is now a centre of local art and culture well worth a visit. Cagliari today is known for its seafood, and on the advice of Staff Captain Franko I went looking for a seafood restaurant:  It would have been much harder to find a restaurant that didn’t serve seafood! Despite the huge choice, I did come across the charming Stella Marina di Montecristo, and treated myself to a lobster and prawns pizza with a fantastic view over the harbour.

Speaking of the harbour, back on the bridge for 1600 and departure as Safety Officer Andy expertly guided Spirit of Discovery off the berth and out to sea, we were treated to the nearby sight of Team INEOS, the British entry for the upcoming America’s Cup event in April going through final preparations and training! A thrilling end to our day in Cagliari, onwards to Gib!

Will Bradstreet, 3^rd Officer